The Relationship between Mental Disorders and the Home

Presenter

Berkant Ali Boluk

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Ray Kinoshita Mann, Department of Architecture, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C36, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 4 (C31-C40) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

How does the layout and nature of the home affect specific mental disorders? Most people would agree that the environment of the home has an impact on our psychological state and sense of well-being. While it is clear that living situations and familial relationships are known to have an impact, there have been far fewer studies of whether or not the actual spaces of the built environment of the home have an impact on our mental state. In particular, it would seem that mental disorders such as hoarding and compulsive behaviors that involve the physical objects around us are clearly impacted. For instance, how does hygiene in a home contribute to one’s mental struggles? My research will consist of a study to understand the nature of these impacts and to examine whether the spatial conditions of the home can be harnessed to act therapeutically in order to counteract symptoms of these disorders, or otherwise to work more positively on an individual. I will review the literature pertaining to four mental disorders and the psychology of the home, analyze of quantitative and qualitative evidence, and use logical argumentation to arrive at possible therapeutic methodologies. A focus on the spatial environment will furthermore draw connections to how the role of family and caretakers is impacted by home conditions. Identifying how to best maximize a home's capabilities to accommodate mental disorders would go a long way towards advancing the fields of architecture, the psychological literature, and mental health in general.

Keywords

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Architectural Planning and Solutions, Hoarding Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder

Research Area

Architecture and Urban Planning

SIMILAR ABSTRACTS (BY KEYWORD)